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Juneteenth Music Festival 2019

happens in Five Points in Denver June 15 and 16. The Juneteenth parade which happens on June 15 is one of Denver’s longest running parades dating back to the 1950s. One of the performers will be Denver musician Vashti Danette, a multi talented singer, lyricist and artist who speaks with KGNU’s Tish Beauford about the Juneteenth celebration and her musical career.

Juneteenth Music Festival 2019 KGNU News

Born Danette Hollowell, she is the daughter of a Military Chaplin, who moved between California, Hawaii before settling in Denver, Colorado 15 years ago.

She began singing in the church choir while her father played piano at a very young age. Her big and distinctive voice was undoubtedly hard to ignore. She continued to share her musical gift throughout most of her childhood singing her heart out while practicing jazz as well as ballet.

She earned a 2 year Jazz Conservation Music and Performance Scholarship at the University of Colorado At Denver and traveled on tour with the school. After this life changing experience, she knew that music was the passion she wanted to pursue in her life.

Vashti has been sharing her dynamic voice since she arrived on the local music scene here in Denver. She has went on to become a local celebrity performing at several nationally recognized venues: Ophelia’s Electric Soap Box, Cervantes Other Side, The Ogden Theater, The Gothic Theater and The Mercury Cafe.

Danette has also recently made her first international stage appearance in Havanna Cuba in March 2017 and continues to expand and share her talent all over the world.

She is a great, local treasure performing in the Historic Five-Points neighborhood, and has entertained many music fans throughout a variety of Denver festivals such as Brew & BBQ, The Black Arts Festival, Juneteenth and the 5 Points Jazz Festival.

Danette is currently writing and recording in preparation of releasing her first album while raising two lovely and brilliant teenage daughters as devoted single mother.

Nearly 3,000 people march in the Juneteenth Parade in Denver to honor the struggles and social progress achieved through marches and demonstrations organized for freedom, justice, and equality in our country’s history. Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with the news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation – which had become official January 1, 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on Texans due to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive Order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Granger’s regiment, the forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance.

The Denver Juneteenth parade starts in the Manual High School Parking lot on 26th & Gilpin Street. Staging starts at 9:00 am and the march promptly begins at 11:00 am.

Please wear clothing that honors African heritage and bring sings that read #DREAMBIG. .